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A rich, nutty Brown Butter Pecan Layer Cake with homemade cinnamon frosting and toasted pecans – a fun update on classic Southern pecan cakes, perfect for holidays or special family dinners, especially when the weather outside is crispy and cool.

Browned Butter Pecan Layer Cake Recipe

Pecan cakes have long roots in Southern US baking traditions, where pecans were prized for their buttery flavor and versatility. Generations of home bakers used them to stretch simple cakes into luxurious desserts for family gatherings and church suppers.

Our browned butter pecan layer cake is a fun nod to that Southern tradition while amping up the flavor with a browned butter cake batter and a cinnamon buttercream frosting.

The browned butter is super easy to make (just melt butter until the milk solids start to brown) brings a caramelized nuttiness to the tender cake crumb, while the chopped pecans add warmth and a faint crunch. The cinnamon frosting ties eveything together with its silky sweetness and hint of spice.

This brown butter layer cake is a welcome treat anytime, but is especially fitting during cold months when warm flavors are more welcome than ever.

There is a little bit of piping work that goes into this cake – all of the techniques are simple, with the piping tips doing most of the work for you. If you even make two cakes or cupcakes a year, I highly recommend purchasing a basic piping set like this one – you won’t believe how easy it is to pipe gorgeous decorations yourself using the right equipment!

(For just a bit more, this starter cake decorating set is a crazy good deal – basically everything you will ever need for cake or cupcake decorating is in here!)

Pecan Layer Cake FAQs

Can this cake be frozen? The individual cake layers can be frozen before being decorated. Store in airtight freezer bags or freezer containers for up to two months.(This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) The cake layers can be frozen for up to two months. Let the cakes come to room temperature before frosting.

Do I need to brown the butter? Browning the butter gives the cake its distinctive nutty, caramelized flavor. Skipping this step will result in a standard butter cake.

My cinnamon frosting is too thick – how do I fix it? Add a tablespoon of cream at a time and beat until smooth and spreadable.

How to get perfectly flat cake layers? I tend to just bake and then use this dental floss hack to remove any domes that occasionally occur with baking. However, you can also make homemade cake strips to ensure perfectly flat cake layers. Check out this tutorial from Preppy Kitchen for how to do that.

This cake can also be made into a brown butter pecan sheet cake if you want to skip all of the layering steps! Bake in a greased 9″ x 13″ cake pan for 40-45 minutes.

For this recipe, I used Millican Pecan’s Pecan Pieces. I didn’t realize what a difference there could be between pecan brands, but these are so incredibly fresh and flavorful. They also have delicious snack options like the Sweet and Spicy Pecans which are perfect for the holidays. My next order, I’m trying their Pecan Butter and the Caramel Pecan Coffee! (And by the way, this is not sponsored – I just really love them.)

Brown Butter Pecan Layer Cake Ingredients

• Chopped Pecans 
• Unsalted Butter
• All-purpose Flour
• Baking Powder 
• Kosher Salt
• White Sugar
• Large Eggs, room temperature
• Vanilla Extract 
• Whole Milk

Cinnamon Frosting Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
• Vanilla Extract 
• Powdered Confectioner’s Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon 
• Heavy Whipping Cream

Tip: Brown butter flavor depends on timing. Watch closely once the milk solids start to turn golden; they can burn quickly. The butter should smell nutty, not acrid.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• 3 9″ round cake pans
• 1-10″ round cake board
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowl
• Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
• Offset Spatula
• Piping Bag with Large Star Tip

How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Layer Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper; lightly spray with baking spray.

Toast the pecans: Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.

Brown the butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1½ cups butter until golden and nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature until just firm but still creamy.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cream butter and sugar: Beat the cooled brown butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in vanilla.

Alternate dry and milk: Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.

Fold in pecans.

Divide batter evenly among the three pans and smooth tops.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges pull slightly from the pan.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

For the cinnamon frosting:

Beat softened butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla; beat on low until combined.

Gradually add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat on medium-high until fluffy (2-3 minutes). Adjust consistency with more sugar or cream as needed.

To assemble:

Level each cake layer if needed.

Place the first layer on a serving board; spread 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top.

Repeat with the second layer.

Top with the final cake layer and cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat. Chill 20 minutes.

Frost the cake fully using an offset spatula, smoothing sides and top.

Press toasted pecans around the base and sprinkle more on top.

Optional: Pipe decorative swirls on top with reserved frosting.

Pin this Southern-Style Pecan Layer Cake with Browned Butter in the Batter:

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I hope your family loves this easy brown butter pecan layer cake as much as mine did!

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